Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1887-08-20
s"EGddy.o
To the Editor of the Journal AND COURIER:


Those who ''do not fancy dogs" and who
may have happened upon these lines are in
vitad TO direct their attention elsewhere, as
they will find nothing to interest them in
what here follows.
Teddy is brilliant specimen of genuine
mongrel-a thoroughbred cur-Scotch terrier
as much as anything, and having no two
drops of consecutive blood inside his homely
but irresistible small skin. Body long, legs
short, ewes swapping and ears always on the
alert. With all these in full play and their
owner On the keen jump, it is laughable TO
see the hard-working, atubby legs flash in
and out as-ventre q terre-he snarls and
barks along as close as he can manage to the
heels of some swifter comrade.
Teddy has been taught to sit up on his
hind legs and beg for what he wants, and as
he habitua1ly hungers and thirsts for some
thing, his varied wishes seldom cease fitting
him up on end.
With stout little leg planted on either
side, and relying with the confidence Of ripe
experience upon useful if not especially
ornamental stump of tail to prop and brace
him from the rear, he cheerfully accepts the
situation temporarily, SO to say, tripodal
and is happy. But when he is convenient
" placed for passing whifs of roast meat on
the dining table and when bits of chicken
skin or crumbs of frosted cake are frequent,
onr tiny; gourmet has little else to wish for
and feels that with such surroundings and
Astounding delights his not voluminous but
ample cup of enjoyment is being filed to the
very brim.
Teddy is not intrepid. 1t would have been
unfair to the remaining brute creation If
bravery had been added to all his other
Vaccinations. Teddy is, h~--~~-, '0ii1 fill
of fun. If any living thing will only run
away our small shaggy friend will be de-
1iobtaa to yoIp after it, and, as matters COM
monty turn, more or less long way after it.
Teddy is also eminently soeiable. Among
other friendly intimacies he foregathers with
a recently arrived litter of pigs and enjoys
unmistakable camaraderie with a neighbor-
ing family of much chattering chipnunks
These festive squirrels have little fear of our
hero, nor do them seem in any degree alarmed
by his most ferocious and intended to-be
aweinspiring bark. These, our queer play
mates, amuse themselves by the hour to-
gether on the best of terms and only when
the pace becomes too fast and the chase en-
tirely too hot do the bushy-tailed wild ones
take what seems unfair advantage of their
less agile chum and scamper up the nearest
tree. It is also evident that the squirrels
are unable to resist Teddy's entreaties when
mute and patient he sits up under their tree
plainly beseeching them to come down again
and frolc.
Teddy is introduced to common mud
turtle. the hard-backed visitor has for the
moment retired to the privacy of his shell,
and appearing ifeless our valiant pet is en-
boldened to take a comprehensive sniff. He
them employs his fayorite method for exam
ining a new thing. Throwing himself on
the ground he rolls discreetly towards the
object in question and manages to touch it
gently and prudently with his back, keeping
himself by this plan, prepared for hasty
retreat in case of danger and constantly IN
position to make off at short notice Later,
however, when the turtle exhibits his head
and claws and begins to wriggle along after
the manner of his kind, Teddy is at first as
tonished he even forgets to set in motion
his easy going tongue. a second look at tho
curious thing, even when moving IN dlrec-
ton straight away from him, seriously alarms
our professional investigator; SO that, scrab-
bling to what he considers safe distance, he
angrily tears the sod where he stands with
all four feet at once in an effort to indicate
and declare the difficulty experienced IN mas
tering and restraining his rage, while at the
same time he barks furious defiance to the
unweleome stranger.
Teddvs owner takes an afternoon nap.
When the time comes for opening the door
of sleeping room-closed only to exclude the
genius of unrest-and while the attendants
hand is vet upon the knob, the affectionate
little plague, sure to be waiting outside, may
be relied upon to squeeze into the room and
then at once to pervade it. No visible item
escapes his keen eye. A sheet of yellow hy-
paper has been placed on the unoccupled
side of the bed and this of course is soon
discovered. It is a new thing and requires
immediate examination.
Adopting the same tactics used for ap-
preaching the turtle, Teddy at once jumps
up on the bed and proceeds to roll
himself towards the exciting nov
city, quietly at first, and then as
| it does not appear to move, he repeats the
goes plump upon the gummy paste and stops
squarely in the very middle of it. AS the
unconscious Teddy draws back for another
effort the yellow mixture catches in his hair
and comes threatenlngly with him. WIFI
| one bound our busy explorer and now much
| startled investigator reaches the floor, drag
| ging with him the unknown horror that he
is now conscious tags on to his every step
A hasty and excited roll on the carpet only
helps to make the supposedly infuriate as
sailant stick still closer and hurt abomlnaDly
/ The well washed and shiny but at this mo-
rnent honey -besmeared locks of the much
combed and usually fluffy coat pull sharply
along the full length of a now shaking anc
auivering back. In his distracted noddle feal
changes these harmless pulls into morta
bites of monster raging for blood, and hi
last moments seem to draw threaten1ngl.
| near. Poor Teddy
when last seen past mishaps and terror
are lost in a present period of delighte'
bumptiousness evoked by loud-playin
hand organ, whose human attachment Tedd
detests. With his coat again in immaculat
splsndor our valorous champion knight strut